1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to the field of drug and alcohol withdrawal symptom alleviation, and, more specifically, to the method and use of biologically applied electrical signals to relieve suffering from narcotic withdrawal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem throughout the world, especially in the U.S. Some sources quote 10% of the U.S. population as being addicted to either drugs or alcohol. The problem is becoming worse and is fast becoming a political as well as an economic and medical issue. The biochemical basis of addiction involves the body's natural opiate-like pain killers which are secreted by the brain cells into the nervous system. These have become known generically as the endorphins and the enkephalins. Many different types have been identified to date and they interact in complex ways, which have yet to be fully elucidated, with neurons. In structure and function these endorphins resemble the opiate drugs of addiction like heroin and cocaine and are also known to be involved in all compulsive addictive type behaviors including alsoholism, smoking, and overeating.
Heroin addicts, for example, take into their bodies an exogenous source of opiates which severely interferes with the endorphin/enkaphalin system. When this external source is interrupted severe withdrawal symptoms ensue. This withdrawal state has been associated with low levels of the body's normal endogenous endorphins and altered ratios of different types of endorphins and enkephalins. This has been caused by the previous involvement of the heroin or other drug of addiction in the physiological processes. It is this low and abnormally functioning endorphin level that causes the symptoms of acute withdrawal. This withdrawal state persists until the body has had a chance to normalize this system which takes on average 3-4 days. This acute withdrawal state if left untreated is known as going "cold turkey".
Standard methods of getting patients through this withdrawal state, i.e. of detoxifying them, in general use the principal of drug substitution and gradual weaning from the substitute drug, e.g. methadone, in the case of heroin, and Valium in the case of alcoholics. Many addicts only get to the state of substitution and never get weaned off the methandone, hence the large number of methadone clinics in the United States and Europe. The best that these patients can expect is that they may be able to function better and live longer on methadone. The vast majority of addicts return to their addictions following detoxification, hence the persistent and relentless nature of the problem.
Withdrawal symptoms consist of two main types corresponding with the two major subdivisions of the human nervous system. Symptoms are associated with the somatosensory nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatosensory nervous system is the main one of which we are aware which senses our environment, position and well being of our bodies, and also senses pain. The autonomic nervous system controls the "automatic" functions of life, i.e. the functions of organs like the heart, sweat glands, etc. Withdrawal symptoms associated with the somato-nervous system include joint pains and muscle cramps which can be extremely severe. The autonomic symptoms include nauses, vomiting, cold sweats, gooseflesh, and signs such as markedly dilated eye pupils. A third group of symptoms common to withdrawal from all addictions and compulsive behavior is anxiety and craving.
Application of the present invention to patients who have just entered this withdrawal phase of detoxification following abstinence from their drug of addiction causes a cessation of all these symptoms in a period of about 40 minutes.
The specific low frequency electromagnetic waveform affects the production and function of the endorphins and enkephaline in such a way as to return them to normal and alleviate the symptoms of acute withdrawal. Clinical data using the present invention has shown that it can alleviate severe withdrawal symptoms in a period of 40 minutes. The patient then uses the device for a period of 3-5 days, basically deciding for himself the amount of time he requires the device to be active for. During this period patients do not require any other forms of medication to deal with their withdrawal symptoms. As the patient experiences such a painless detoxification process and is rendered drug free, clinical data suggests that the recidivism rate in patients treated by this method may be much lower than the standard therapeutic approach.